Door sill structure for vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a rocker structure for a vehicle, comprising: a rocker having a cavity; a rocker reinforcement accommodated in the cavity of the rocker; and a battery mounting tube coupled to the rocker reinforcement, wherein when a mounting bolt is tightened to the battery mounting tube, the rocker reinforcement is coupled to the rocker.

Description

[0001] CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0168224, filed on December 16, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a rocker structure for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a rocker structure for a vehicle for firmly installing a rocker reinforcement in the rocker. Background Art

[0004] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

[0005] The vehicle includes a pair of door sills disposed on the left and right sides of the floor. The front end of each door sill may be connected to the rear end of the front longitudinal beam, and the rear end of each door sill may be connected to the front end of the rear longitudinal beam. The door sills may protect the passenger compartment from a side collision, a frontal collision, etc. of the vehicle.

[0006] Each door sill may have a cavity open to the outside of the vehicle. The door sill reinforcement may be installed in the cavity of the door sill by using a plurality of brackets and welding to cope with a collision. The door sill reinforcement may be an extruded product produced by extruding a material including aluminum. The door sill reinforcement may extend in the longitudinal direction of the door sill.

[0007] The electric vehicle is equipped with a battery assembly, which is installed under the floor of the vehicle body. The two side edges of the battery assembly can be installed on the rocker reinforcement by a plurality of bolts.

[0008] In consideration of rigidity and strength, the door sill may be made of a steel material, and in consideration of an extrusion method, the door sill reinforcement may be made of an aluminum material. The steel material and the aluminum material cannot be directly connected by welding due to their material properties. When the door sill reinforcement is installed in the cavity of the door sill, different material combinations such as flow drill screws (FDS) and self-pierce rivets (SPR) or mechanical connection using bolts and nuts may be adopted. However, since the equipment is expensive, the combination of different materials is disadvantageous in terms of investment cost, and the mechanical combination requires a relatively large amount of man-hours.

[0009] According to the related art, after a plurality of brackets made of a steel material are coupled to a rocker reinforcement through FDS, the plurality of brackets are coupled to the rocker through spot welding, so that the rocker reinforcement may be installed in the rocker.

[0010] According to the prior art, when the rocker reinforcement is installed in the cavity of the rocker, a relatively large number of brackets and welding points are added, which increases the weight and manufacturing cost.

[0011] The above information described in this Background Art section is provided to help understanding the background of the inventive concept and may include any technical concepts that are not considered as prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the invention

[0012] The present invention has solved the above-mentioned problems arising in the prior art while completely maintaining the advantages achieved by the prior art.

[0013] An aspect of the present invention provides a rocker structure for a vehicle that combines a battery mounting tube to a rocker reinforcement by riveting and fixing mounting bolts to the battery mounting tube, allowing the rocker reinforcement to be securely mounted in the rocker without using brackets and welding.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, a rocker structure for a vehicle may include: a rocker having a cavity; a rocker reinforcement received in the cavity of the rocker; and a battery mounting tube coupled to the rocker reinforcement. When a mounting bolt is fastened to the battery mounting tube, the rocker reinforcement may be coupled to the rocker.

[0015] The rocker reinforcement may have a first mounting hole through which the battery mounting tube passes, and the battery mounting tube may be coupled to the first mounting hole of the rocker reinforcement.

[0016] The battery mounting tube may include a cylindrical portion and a head disposed on the bottom end of the cylindrical portion, the cylindrical portion may include a deformable portion and an upper portion located above the deformable portion, the deformable portion may be located between the upper portion and the head, and the upper portion may have an internal thread.

[0017] The head portion may have an outer diameter greater than a diameter of the first mounting hole, may support the rocker reinforcement, and may have a thickness determined such that the rocker reinforcement may be disposed in the cavity of the rocker.

[0018] When the deformable portion is expanded or bulged outward by an axial load applied in the axial direction of the battery mounting tube, the deformable portion may be deformed into a bulging portion.

[0019] The first mounting hole may be provided in a bottom wall of the rocker reinforcement, the protrusion may press the bottom wall of the rocker reinforcement downward, and the head may press the bottom wall of the rocker reinforcement upward.

[0020] The door sill may have a second mounting hole aligned with the first mounting hole and the battery mounting tube, the mounting bolt may pass through the second mounting hole and the hollow portion of the battery mounting tube, and the external thread of the mounting bolt may engage with the internal thread of the upper portion.

[0021] The rocker reinforcement may have a plurality of first mounting holes through which the battery mounting tube passes, the rocker may have a plurality of second mounting holes through which the battery mounting tube passes, and the plurality of second mounting holes may be aligned with the plurality of first mounting holes.

[0022] The battery mounting tube may include a cylindrical portion and a head disposed on a top end of the cylindrical portion, and the cylindrical portion may include a deformable portion, an upper portion located above the deformable portion, and a lower portion located below the deformable portion.

[0023] When the deformable portion is expanded or bulged outward by an axial load applied in the axial direction of the battery mounting tube, the deformable portion may be deformed into a bulging portion.

[0024] The rocker reinforcement may have a supporting rib supporting the protrusion, the protrusion may press the supporting rib upward, and the head may press a top wall of the rocker downward.

[0025] The thickness of the deformable portion may be smaller than the thickness of the upper portion and the thickness of the lower portion.

[0026] The upper portion may have an upper internal thread on an inner surface thereof, and the lower portion may have a lower internal thread on an inner surface thereof.

[0027] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein.It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order that the present invention may be better understood, various embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a rocker structure for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein a rocker and a rocker reinforcement are shown;

[0030] Figure 2 A rocker, a rocker reinforcement, and a battery mounting tube in a rocker structure for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are shown;

[0031] Figure 3A cross-sectional view showing a battery mounting tube in a rocker structure for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 shows a state in which a drill and an iron felt of a nut riveter are set in a battery mounting tube in a rocker structure for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 shows a state in which the deformable portion of the battery mounting tube is deformed when the drill of the nut riveter is operated;

[0034] Figure 6 A sectional view showing a structure in which a battery assembly is installed in a rocker structure for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 shows a state in which a load is applied to a structure in which a battery assembly is installed in a rocker structure for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 8 A cross-sectional view showing a battery mounting tube in a rocker structure for a vehicle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Fig. 9 shows a state in which a drill and an iron felt of a nut riveter are disposed in a battery mounting tube in a rocker structure for a vehicle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Fig.10 shows a state in which the deformable portion of the battery mounting tube is deformed when the drill of the nut riveter is operated;

[0039] Fig.11 A sectional view illustrating a structure in which a battery assembly is installed in a rocker structure for a vehicle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or uses.It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

[0042] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, detailed descriptions of well-known technologies related to the present invention will be excluded so as not to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention.

[0043] Terms such as first, second, A, B, (a) and (b) can be used to describe the elements in the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. These terms are only used to distinguish an element from another element, and the intrinsic characteristics, order or sequence of the corresponding elements, etc. are not limited by these terms. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technology or scientific terms) have the same meaning as the meaning generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Those terms such as those defined in the commonly used dictionary should be interpreted as having the same meaning as the contextual meaning in the relevant field, and should not be interpreted as having an ideal or too formal meaning, unless clearly defined as having such meaning in the application.

[0044] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , a rocker structure 10 for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a rocker 11 , a rocker reinforcement 12 received in the rocker 11 , and a battery mounting pipe 20 combining the rocker 11 and the rocker reinforcement 12 .

[0045] The door sill 11 may include a cavity 11a open to the outside of the vehicle, a top wall 11b facing the top of the vehicle, an inner side wall 11c facing the inside of the vehicle, and a bottom wall 11d facing the ground. The cavity 11a may be defined by the top wall 11b, the inner side wall 11c, and the bottom wall 11d. For example, the door sill 11 may be a metal material with high strength, such as steel.

[0046] The rocker reinforcement 12 may be an extruded product produced by an extrusion method and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Figure 4 The rocker reinforcement 12 may include an outer side wall 12a facing the outside of the vehicle, a top wall 12b facing the top of the vehicle, an inner side wall 12c facing the inside of the vehicle, and a bottom wall 12d facing the ground. For example, the rocker reinforcement 12 may be a material having excellent toughness and rigidity, such as aluminum and aluminum alloy.

[0047] When the rocker reinforcement 12 is accommodated in the cavity 11a of the rocker 11, the top wall 12b of the rocker reinforcement 12 may contact the top wall 11b of the rocker 11, the inner side wall 12c of the rocker reinforcement 12 may face the inner side wall 11c of the rocker 11, and the bottom wall 12d of the rocker reinforcement 12 may contact the bottom wall 11d of the rocker 11. The rocker reinforcement 12 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the rocker 11. The rocker reinforcement 12 may have a plurality of ribs 31, 32, 33, and 34 formed therein, and the plurality of ribs 31, 32, 33, and 34 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the rocker reinforcement 12. The rigidity of the rocker reinforcement 12 may be improved by the plurality of ribs 31, 32, 33, and 34, and thus, the impact load during the side collision of the vehicle may be uniformly distributed by the plurality of ribs 31, 32, 33, and 34.

[0048] The rocker reinforcement 12 may have a horizontal rib 31 and a first vertical rib 32 adjacent to the outer side wall 12a, and the horizontal rib 31 may extend horizontally from the outer side wall 12a. The first vertical rib 32 may extend vertically to connect the top wall 12b and the bottom wall 12d, and the first vertical rib 32 may be directly connected to the horizontal rib 31.

[0049] The rocker reinforcement 12 may have a support rib 33 adjacent to the inner side wall 12c and a second vertical rib 34. The second vertical rib 34 may extend vertically to connect the top wall 12b and the bottom wall 12d, and the second vertical rib 34 may be spaced apart from the first vertical rib 32. The second vertical rib 34 may be directly connected to the support rib 33, and the support rib 33 may extend horizontally to connect the first vertical rib 32 and the inner side wall 12c.

[0050] The rocker reinforcement 12 may have a plurality of first mounting holes 14, 16, and 18 through which the battery mounting tube 20 passes. The battery mounting tube 20 may penetrate the rocker reinforcement 12 through the plurality of first mounting holes 14, 16, and 18. Specifically, the rocker reinforcement 12 may have a top mounting hole 14 formed in the top wall 12b, a bottom mounting hole 18 formed in the bottom wall 12d, and a middle mounting hole 16 formed in at least one rib among the plurality of ribs 31, 32, 33, and 34. The diameters of the top mounting hole 14, the bottom mounting hole 18, and the middle mounting hole 16 may be the same or similar to each other, and the top mounting hole 14, the bottom mounting hole 18, and the middle mounting hole 16 may be aligned. In particular, the middle mounting hole 16 may be punched or drilled in the support rib 33 connected to the inner side wall 12c.

[0051] The door sill 11 may have a plurality of second mounting holes 13 and 15 through which the battery mounting tube 20 passes, and the plurality of second mounting holes 13 and 15 may be aligned with the plurality of first mounting holes 14, 16, and 18. The battery mounting tube 20 may penetrate the plurality of second mounting holes 13 and 15 in the height direction of the door sill 11. Specifically, the door sill 11 may have a plurality of top mounting holes 13 formed in the top wall 11b and a plurality of bottom mounting holes 15 formed in the bottom wall 11d, and the top mounting holes 13 and the bottom mounting holes 15 may be punched or drilled in the door sill 11. The diameter of the top mounting hole 13 may be the same as or similar to the diameter of the bottom mounting hole 15, and the top mounting hole 13 may be aligned with the bottom mounting hole 15.

[0052] The battery mounting tube 20 may be a hollow tube in which the drill 51 of the nut riveter 50, the mounting bolts 63, etc. are housed. Figure 3 The battery mounting tube 20 may include a cylindrical portion 21 and a head portion 22 disposed on a top end of the cylindrical portion 21 .

[0053] like Figures 5 to 7 As shown, the battery mounting tube 20 may be coupled to the rocker reinforcement 12 and the rocker 11 by riveting, so that the rocker reinforcement 12 may be securely mounted in the cavity 11 a of the rocker 11 .

[0054] According to an exemplary embodiment, in order to rivet the battery mounting tube 20 , the cylindrical portion 21 may include a deformable portion 23 , an upper portion 24 located above the deformable portion 23 , and a lower portion 25 located below the deformable portion 23 .

[0055] The deformable portion 23 may be located in the middle of the cylindrical portion 21 , and the deformable portion 23 may be deformable by an axial load applied in the axial direction of the battery mounting tube 20 .

[0056] Since the deformable portion 23 has a relatively low rigidity compared to the upper portion 24 and the lower portion 25, the upper portion 24 and the lower portion 25 are not deformed by the axial load applied in the axial direction of the battery mounting tube 20 while the deformable portion 23 is deformed. In particular, the deformable portion 23 may be located below the support rib 33, and when the deformable portion 23 is deformed into the protrusion 23a, the protrusion 23a may press the support rib 33. Figure 5 The protrusion 23 a can press the support rib 33 of the rocker reinforcement 12 upward, and the head 22 can press the top wall 11 b of the rocker 11 downward, so that the battery mounting tube 20 can be riveted relative to the rocker reinforcement 12 and the rocker 11 .

[0057] According to an exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the deformable portion 23 may be smaller than the thickness of the upper portion 24 and the thickness of the lower portion 25. When an axial load is applied along the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 21, the deformable portion 23 may easily expand or bulge outward or deform outward. Figure 5 As shown, the deformable portion 23 can be deformed into a protruding portion 23a.

[0058] According to another exemplary embodiment, the deformable portion 23 may have a plurality of recesses or a plurality of teeth extending longitudinally on its inner surface or outer surface, and the plurality of recesses may be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. When an axial load is applied to the cylindrical portion 21, the deformable portion 23 may be easily deformed outwardly by the plurality of recesses or the plurality of teeth.

[0059] According to another exemplary embodiment, the deformable portion 23 may be made of a soft material compared to the upper portion 24 and the lower portion 25. When an axial load is applied to the cylindrical portion 21, the deformable portion 23 may be easily deformed outwardly through the plurality of recesses or the plurality of teeth.

[0060] The upper portion 24 may have an upper internal thread 24a formed on its inner surface, and the lower portion 25 may have a lower internal thread 25a formed on its inner surface. When the inner diameter of the upper internal thread 24a and the inner diameter of the lower internal thread 25a are smaller than the inner diameter of the deformable portion 23, the thickness of the deformable portion 23 may be smaller than the thickness of the upper portion 24 and the thickness of the lower portion 25.

[0061] The diameter of the head portion 22 may be greater than the diameter of the top mounting hole 13 of the door sill 11 , so that the head portion 22 may contact the top wall 11 b of the door sill 11 adjacent to the top mounting hole 13 .

[0062] Reference Figure 4 When the rocker reinforcement 12 is accommodated in the cavity 11a of the rocker 11, the top mounting hole 14, the middle mounting hole 16, and the bottom mounting hole 18 of the rocker reinforcement 12 may be aligned with the top mounting hole 13 and the bottom mounting hole 15 of the rocker 11. The battery mounting tube 20 may pass through the top mounting hole 13 and the bottom mounting hole 15 of the rocker 11 and the top mounting hole 14, the middle mounting hole 16, and the bottom mounting hole 18 of the rocker reinforcement 12. The head 22 of the battery mounting tube 20 may contact the top wall 11b of the rocker 11 adjacent to the top mounting hole 13, and the deformable portion 23 may be located below the middle mounting hole 16.

[0063] like Figure 4 As shown, the drill 51 of the nut riveter 50 can pass through the interior of the battery mounting tube 20, and the outer thread 52 of the drill 51 can be screwed into the lower inner thread 25a of the lower part 25. The iron felt 53 of the nut riveter 50 can press or support the head 22 of the battery mounting tube 20 downward, so that the head 22 of the battery mounting tube 20 can be kept downward by the iron felt 53 of the nut riveter 50.

[0064] Reference Figure 5 , when the drill 51 is moved upward by the operation of the nut riveter 50, the drill 51 can pull the lower portion 25 of the battery mounting tube 20 toward the iron felt 53. Since the lower portion 25 of the battery mounting tube 20 is pulled toward the iron felt 53 by the nut riveter 50, the axial load AF can be applied upward along the axial direction of the battery mounting tube 20. Since the deformable portion 23 located below the middle mounting hole 16 expands or bulges outward under the action of the axial load AF, the deformable portion 23 can be deformed into a protrusion 23a. The upper and lower portions of the deformable portion 23 can overlap each other to form the protrusion 23a, and the outer diameter of the protrusion 23a can be greater than the diameter of the middle mounting hole 16.

[0065] Reference Figure 6 and Figure 7The battery assembly 60 may include a battery case 61 in which a plurality of modules and electrical / electronic components are accommodated, and a side mounting member 62 that protrudes from a side surface of the battery case 61 toward the door sill 11. The mounting bolt 63 may pass through the side mounting member 62 and the battery mounting tube 20, and the outer thread 63a of the mounting bolt 63 may engage with the upper inner thread 24a of the battery mounting tube 20.

[0066] Since the external thread 63a of the mounting bolt 63 is engaged with the upper internal thread 24a of the battery mounting tube 20, and the head 22 of the battery mounting tube 20 presses the top wall 11b of the door sill 11, the first load F1 can be applied downward along the axial direction of the battery mounting tube 20. Since the protrusion 23a of the battery mounting tube 20 presses the support rib 33 of the door sill reinforcement 12 upward, the second load F2 can be applied upward along the axial direction of the battery mounting tube 20. Therefore, the installation load of the battery assembly 60 can be evenly distributed, and the installation rigidity and / or installation strength of the battery assembly 60 can be increased.

[0067] according to Figures 1 to 7 In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the battery mounting tube 20 may pass through the rocker 11 and the rocker reinforcement 12, the head 22 of the battery mounting tube 20 may press downward the top wall 11b of the rocker 11, and the protrusion 23a of the battery mounting tube 20 may press upward the support rib 33 of the rocker reinforcement 12. In this configuration, the battery mounting tube 20 may be firmly combined with the rocker 11 and the rocker reinforcement 12.

[0068] Figures 8 to 11 A rocker structure 100 for a vehicle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figures 8 to 11 , a rocker structure 100 for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a rocker 110 , a rocker reinforcement 120 received in the rocker 110 , and a battery mounting tube 200 combining the rocker 110 and the rocker reinforcement 120 .

[0069] The door sill 110 may include a cavity 111 open to the outside of the vehicle, a top wall 112 facing the top of the vehicle, an inner side wall 113 facing the inside of the vehicle, and a bottom wall 114 facing the ground. The cavity 111 may be defined by the top wall 112, the inner side wall 113, and the bottom wall 114. For example, the door sill 110 may be a metal material having high strength, such as steel.

[0070] The rocker reinforcement 120 may be an extruded product produced by an extrusion method in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Fig.11The rocker reinforcement 120 may include an outer side wall 121 facing the outside of the vehicle, a top wall 122 facing the top of the vehicle, an inner side wall 123 facing the inside of the vehicle, and a bottom wall 124 facing the ground. For example, the rocker reinforcement 120 may be a material having excellent toughness and rigidity, such as aluminum and aluminum alloy.

[0071] When the rocker reinforcement 120 is received in the cavity 111 of the rocker 110, the top wall 122 of the rocker reinforcement 120 may contact the top wall 112 of the rocker 110, the inner side wall 123 of the rocker reinforcement 120 may face the inner side wall 113 of the rocker 110, and the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 may face the bottom wall 114 of the rocker 110. The rocker reinforcement 120 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the rocker 110. The rocker reinforcement 120 may have a plurality of ribs 131 and 132 formed therein, and the plurality of ribs 131 and 132 may extend along the longitudinal direction of the rocker reinforcement 120. The rigidity of the rocker reinforcement 120 may be improved by the plurality of ribs 131 and 132, and thus, the impact load during the side collision of the vehicle may be uniformly distributed by the plurality of ribs 131 and 132.

[0072] The rocker reinforcement 120 may have a horizontal rib 131 and a plurality of vertical ribs 132 connected to the horizontal rib 131. The horizontal rib 131 may extend horizontally to connect the outer sidewall 121 and the inner sidewall 123. The vertical rib 132 may extend vertically to connect the top wall 122 and the bottom wall 124.

[0073] The rocker reinforcement 120 may have a first mounting hole 125 through which the cylindrical portion 201 of the battery mounting tube 200 passes. Specifically, the first mounting hole 125 may be formed in a bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120.

[0074] The door sill 110 may have a second mounting hole 115 through which the mounting bolt 63 passes. Specifically, the second mounting hole 115 may be formed in the bottom wall 114 of the door sill 110. The second mounting hole 115 may be aligned with the first mounting hole 125 and the battery mounting tube 200.

[0075] The battery mounting tube 200 may be a hollow tube in which the drill 51 of the nut riveter 50, the mounting bolts 63, etc. are housed. Figure 8 The battery mounting tube 200 may include a cylindrical portion 201 and a head portion 202 disposed on a bottom end of the cylindrical portion 201 .

[0076] Reference Figures 9 to 11, the battery mounting tube 200 may be riveted to the rocker reinforcement 120 , and mounting bolts 63 for mounting the battery housing 61 may be fastened to the battery mounting tube 200 , and thus, the rocker reinforcement 120 may be firmly coupled to the rocker 110 .

[0077] According to an exemplary embodiment, in order to rivet the battery mounting tube 200, the cylindrical portion 201 may include a deformable portion 203 and an upper portion 204 located above the deformable portion 203. That is, the deformable portion 203 may be located between the upper portion 204 and the head portion 202.

[0078] The deformable portion 203 may be located above the cylindrical portion 202 , and the deformable portion 203 may be deformed by an axial load applied in an axial direction of the battery mounting tube 200 .

[0079] Since the deformable portion 203 has a relatively lower rigidity than the upper portion 204, the upper portion 204 is not deformed by the axial load applied along the axial direction of the battery mounting tube 200 while the deformable portion 203 is deformed. In particular, when the deformable portion 203 is deformed into the protruding portion 203a, the protruding portion 203a can press the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120. Fig.11 The protrusion 203 a can press the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 downward, and the head 202 can press the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 upward, so that the battery mounting tube 200 can be riveted relative to the rocker reinforcement 120 and the rocker 11 .

[0080] According to an exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the deformable portion 203 may be smaller than the thickness of the upper portion 204. Since an axial load is applied along the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 201, the deformable portion 203 may be easily expanded or bulged outward or deformed outward. Fig.11 As shown, the deformable portion 203 can be deformed into a protruding portion 203a.

[0081] According to another exemplary embodiment, the deformable portion 203 may have a plurality of recesses or a plurality of teeth extending longitudinally on its inner surface or outer surface, and the plurality of recesses may be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. Since the axial load is applied to the cylindrical portion 201, the deformable portion 203 may be easily deformed outwardly by the plurality of recesses or the plurality of teeth.

[0082] According to another exemplary embodiment, the deformable portion 203 may be made of a soft material compared to the upper portion 204. As an axial load is applied to the cylindrical portion 201, the deformable portion 203 may be easily deformed outwardly through the plurality of recesses or the plurality of teeth.

[0083] The upper portion 204 may have an internal thread 206 formed on an inner surface thereof. When the inner diameter of the internal thread 206 is smaller than the inner diameter of the deformable portion 203 , the thickness of the deformable portion 203 may be smaller than the thickness of the upper portion 204 .

[0084] The diameter of the head portion 202 may be greater than the diameter of the first mounting hole 125 , and thus the head portion 202 may contact the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 adjacent to the first mounting hole 125 .

[0085] Since the cylindrical portion 201, that is, the upper portion 204 and the deformable portion 203 of the battery mounting tube 200 pass through the first mounting hole 125 of the rocker reinforcement 120, the head portion 202 of the battery mounting tube 200 can contact the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 adjacent to the first mounting hole 125. Since the head portion 202 of the battery mounting tube 200 is interposed between the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 and the bottom wall 114 of the rocker 110, the head portion 202 of the battery mounting tube 200 supports the rocker reinforcement 120, and the position (horizontal position and / or vertical position) of the rocker reinforcement 120 can be uniformly arranged in the cavity 111 of the rocker 110. That is, the rocker reinforcement 120 can be uniformly arranged at the horizontal and / or vertical center of the cavity 111 of the rocker 110. The thickness t of the head portion 202 can be determined so that the rocker reinforcement 120 can be uniformly arranged at the horizontal and / or vertical center position of the cavity 111 of the rocker 110.

[0086] Reference Fig.11 , the thickness t of the head portion 202 may be determined so that the horizontal center axis X1 of the rocker reinforcement 120 may be aligned with the horizontal center axis X2 of the rocker 110. Therefore, the rocker reinforcement 120 may be symmetrically or evenly positioned in the cavity 111 of the rocker 110 with respect to the horizontal center axis X2 of the rocker 110, the top wall 122 of the rocker reinforcement 120 may be spaced apart from the top wall 112 of the rocker 110, and the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 may be spaced apart from the bottom wall 114 of the rocker 110.

[0087] Since the rocker reinforcement 120 is disposed in the cavity 111 of the rocker 110 through the head 202 of the battery mounting tube 200, the size of the rocker reinforcement 120 can be reduced compared with the size of the rocker 110. Therefore, the manufacturing cost and weight of the rocker reinforcement 120 can be reduced, and the rocker reinforcement 120 can ensure the impact performance with respect to the rocker 110.

[0088] Reference Fig. 9, when the cylindrical portion 201 of the battery mounting tube 200 is received in the rocker reinforcement 120 through the first mounting hole 125, the head portion 202 of the battery mounting tube 200 may contact the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 adjacent to the first mounting hole 125, and the head portion 202 may be located at a position lower than the first mounting hole 125 of the rocker reinforcement 120. The drill 51 of the nut riveter 50 may pass through the interior of the battery mounting tube 20, and the external thread 52 of the drill 51 may be screwed into the internal thread 206 of the upper portion 204. The iron felt 53 of the nut riveter 50 may press or support the head portion 202 of the battery mounting tube 200 upward, so that the head portion 202 of the battery mounting tube 200 may be held by the iron felt 53 of the nut riveter 50.

[0089] Reference Fig.10 , when the drill 51 is moved downward by the operation of the nut riveter 50, the drill 51 may pull the upper portion 204 of the battery mounting tube 200 toward the iron felt 53. Since the upper portion 204 of the battery mounting tube 200 is pulled toward the iron felt 53 by the nut riveter 50, the axial load AF1 may be applied downward along the axial direction of the battery mounting tube 200. Since the deformable portion 203 located above the first mounting hole 125 expands or bulges outward under the axial load AF1, the deformable portion 203 may be deformed into a protrusion 203a, and the battery mounting tube 200 may be coupled to the first mounting hole 125 of the rocker reinforcement 120 through the protrusion 203a. The upper and lower portions of the deformable portion 203 may overlap each other to form the protrusion 203a, and the outer diameter of the protrusion 203a may be greater than the diameter of the first mounting hole 125. After the battery mounting tube 200 is coupled to the rocker reinforcement 120 , the nut rivet 50 may be separated from the battery mounting tube 200 .

[0090] Reference Fig.11, when the rocker reinforcement 120 is accommodated in the cavity 111 of the rocker 110, the battery mounting tube 200 and the first mounting hole 125 of the rocker reinforcement 120 may be aligned with the second mounting hole 115 of the rocker 110. The mounting bolt 63 may pass through the second mounting hole 115 of the rocker 110, and the side mounting piece 62 of the battery housing 61, the battery mounting tube 200, and the external thread 63a of the mounting bolt 63 may be engaged with the internal thread 206 of the battery mounting tube 200. Since the external thread 63a of the mounting bolt 63 is engaged with the internal thread 206 of the battery mounting tube 200, the protrusion 203a of the battery mounting tube 200 may press the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 downward, and the third load F3 may be applied downward along the axial direction of the battery mounting tube 200. Since the head 202 of the battery mounting tube 200 presses the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 upward, the fourth load F4 may be applied upward along the axial direction of the battery mounting tube 200. Therefore, the mounting load of the battery assembly 60 may be uniformly distributed, and the mounting rigidity and / or mounting strength of the battery assembly 60 may be increased.

[0091] according to Figures 8 to 10 In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the battery mounting tube 200 may not pass through the rocker 110, the battery mounting tube 200 may pass through the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120, the head 202 of the battery mounting tube 200 may press the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 upward, and the protrusion 203a of the battery mounting tube 200 may press the bottom wall 124 of the rocker reinforcement 120 downward. That is, the battery mounting tube 200 may be firmly coupled to the rocker reinforcement 120 by riveting.

[0092] As described above, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, since the battery mounting tube 20 or 200 is riveted to the rocker reinforcement 12 or 120 and the mounting bolt 63 is fastened to the battery mounting tube 20 or 200, the rocker reinforcement 12 or 120 can be firmly installed in the rocker 11 or 110 without using a bracket and welding, so that the weight and manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0093] In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the battery assembly 60 is installed together with the battery mounting tube 20 or 200 by the mounting bolts 63, the battery mounting tube 20 or 200 can evenly distribute the installation load of the battery assembly 60, thereby increasing the installation stiffness and installation strength of the battery assembly 60.

[0094] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as claimed in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A threshold structure for a vehicle, the threshold structure comprising: a threshold having a cavity; a rocker reinforcement received in the cavity of the rocker; as well as a battery mounting tube, which is bonded to the rocker reinforcement, wherein, when the mounting bolts are fastened to the battery mounting tube, the rocker reinforcement is coupled to the rocker, The battery mounting tube includes a cylindrical portion and a head disposed on the bottom end of the cylindrical portion, The cylindrical portion includes a deformable portion and an upper portion located above the deformable portion, The deformable portion is located between the upper portion and the head portion, The upper portion is formed with an internal thread, When an axial load is applied in the axial direction of the battery mounting tube, the deformable portion expands or bulges outward under the action of the axial load. The first mounting hole is provided in the bottom wall of the rocker reinforcement, The convex deformable portion of the cylindrical portion is configured to press downwardly the bottom wall of the rocker reinforcement, The head portion is configured to press a bottom wall of the rocker reinforcement upward.

2. The rocker structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The rocker reinforcement has a first mounting hole, and the battery mounting tube passes through the first mounting hole.

3. The rocker structure for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: The outer diameter of the head is larger than the diameter of the first mounting hole, The head portion is configured to support the rocker reinforcement.

4. The rocker structure for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: The door sill has a second mounting hole aligned with the first mounting hole and the battery mounting tube, The mounting bolt is configured to pass through the second mounting hole and the hollow portion of the battery mounting tube, The external threads of the mounting bolt are configured to engage with the internal threads of the upper portion.

5. The rocker structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein The rocker reinforcement has a plurality of first mounting holes, and the battery mounting tube passes through the plurality of first mounting holes. The threshold has a plurality of second mounting holes, the battery mounting tube passes through the plurality of second mounting holes, and A second mounting hole of the plurality of second mounting holes is aligned with a first mounting hole of the plurality of first mounting holes.

6. A threshold structure for a vehicle, the threshold structure comprising: a threshold having a cavity; a rocker reinforcement received in the cavity of the rocker; as well as a battery mounting tube, which is bonded to the rocker reinforcement, wherein, when the mounting bolts are fastened to the battery mounting tube, the rocker reinforcement is coupled to the rocker, The battery mounting tube includes a cylindrical portion and a head disposed on a top end of the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion includes a deformable portion, an upper portion located above the deformable portion, and a lower portion located below the deformable portion, When an axial load is applied in the axial direction of the battery mounting tube, the deformable portion expands or bulges outward under the action of the axial load. The rocker reinforcement has a support rib configured to support the protruding deformable portion, The convex deformable portion is configured to press the support rib upward, and The head is configured to press the top wall of the door sill downward.

7. The rocker structure for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein: The thickness of the deformable portion is smaller than the thickness of the upper portion and the thickness of the lower portion.

8. The rocker structure for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein: The upper portion is provided with an internal thread formed on an inner surface thereof.

9. The rocker structure for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein: The lower portion is provided with an internal thread formed on an inner surface thereof.

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